Rolex Sydney Hobart Race – Canines of the Sea

by John Curnow on 20 Dec 2016 There is a contrast that is as beguiling as it is stark. On paper they may appear as if to be from different planets, and yet there is incredible commonality. One could be said to even take the form of the very canine used to describe her, Greyhound. The other certainly has the pace of that breed, but her form would far more resemble that of a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Yes, that is apt, for she has been a lion killer all right, and there are so many of her type attending this year that a pack metaphor is more than appropriate, even if the collective noun that is more suitable for them is village. So whilst the latter could be considered the leader of the new ocean greyhounds, the former you could say is the original. She is the one that spurned the nickname, and she is back – Semper Fidelis.

Before there was Wild Oats XI, Nokia and even the mighty Kialoa III, there was Fidelis. Yes, this low slung and pretty craft, almost better known as the ocean greyhound, and after her refit maybe even the porpoise on steroids, is a former Sydney Hobart record holder. Even today she still holds the mantle for the greatest winning margin.

Her power does not just extend to her ability to slice open many a nautical mile, however. Since the 60’s Fidelis has had just the five owners. By way of demonstrating the bond she forms with people, Fidelis’ third was actually crew for the second, before deciding to take it all on.

Whilst talking about her, or reading Sandra Gorter’s book about her (Semper Fidelis), you may well hear Beethoven’s Ode to Joy in your own mind, for this is one roaring tale (a lot like many of the winds she has faced) that very much embodies the reasons to get on with life. This craft has taken many a soul on short soirees and also locations far afield. As an express cruiser, Fidelis romps over and into the Tasman Sea regularly, and in earlier times wandered into the South Pacific with its many charming islands.

Sean Langman is one man that has 20 years of history with Fidelis and her current curator, Nigel Stoke. “I stare at Fidelis every day on her mooring, since she came over for the 50th Sydney to Hobart race. Fidelis sails a lot more than other boats on Harbour, whether it is twilight jaunts or attending the Great Aussie BBQ.”

“In spite of her lines she’s a good sea boat, but very wet. My trip to Lord Howe Island (LHI) was damp, for I had the bunk next to mast, which moves in the deck, even though we have done a lot of things to prevent that. Still, the trip was made all the better and memorable by the stores of champagne and red wine in the her voluminous keel bilge.”

“She has magnetism, an amazing history and lasted well for both her age and miles travelled. Fidelis is an evolving museum piece and a tribute to her owner, who is prepared to keep her going”, said Langman.

In 2005 Noakes performed a massive and ultra-quick refit of her that encompassed major items like new keel bolts, deck, engine, epoxy skin and anti-foul. All in five months. A new, taller and stiffer carbon rig from Hall Spars was stepped in 2008. Interestingly, Tim Lidgard, a young descendant of the famous clan that built her, was the Project Manager for that.

Fidelis is like the best aide memoire into the detail of materials, equipment and methods that make her era so enchanting. Aspects like the lineage of some great names, such as Bruce Farr and Sir Peter Blake, Nerida, Sayonara, Waitangi and Acrospire, along with accounts of the early NZ travel policies, and the pre-RDF and life raft days.

If only her Kauri pine strips could talk… No doubt she would show you how to avoid if possible, but prepare for and survive disasters if you have to, by being very organised and thorough. Newbies would be making notes and old salts nodding heads as she explained man’s oldest challenge, detailing the exhilaration and the pitfalls equally, and showing true appreciation for all that it takes financially, emotionally and spiritually.

Just in November, Fidelis made her 14th run to Lord Howe Island, just for the BBQ alone. She is the only boat to do every single one of this very popular, cruise in company event. The very affable Stoke said, “The last trip probably the best with 12 yachts all making it to the island, and a beautiful night with the full moon at Neds Beach.”

“Fidelis is a joy to own. Over time you get to appreciate that you are not so much her Skipper, but more like the custodian of a piece of art. I do hope that in 50 years time she is still bringing a world of adventure to a whole new crew. There are many 80 to 100 year old vessels still racing hard in New Zealand now, so with the right upkeep, she can go on to do almost anything. Let’s hope more classics continue to thrive in Australia as a result, and we have as a strong an interest in them as the Europeans do. Semper Fidelis!”

Standing atop the pack of Rhodesian Ridgebacks last year was the TP52 known now as, Balance. Proving her might is that fact that this Farr penned, and Goetz built GenIV gem also won the Tattersall’s Cup as Quest, but a few years earlier (2008). Her current custodian is the delightfully charming and quite hilarious, Paul Clitheroe.

Talking with Clitheroe during the build up to this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race he commented, “There will be a lot said about back to back, but we all know that once you stick your nose outside, there are a lot of other challenges, including those professional crews on the other TP52s (Editor: Balance is proudly Corinthian). This race, and it might be said too often, is about getting there in one piece.”

“You know we’re all going to have lumps and bumps. It’s pretty vigorous to seaway, Bass Strait, but if I can get my twelve crew and myself to Hobart in one piece, with the boat also in one piece, whether we come first or last, we’ll be happy. Defending our title successfully, which is statistically pretty damn unlikely, would be great. Remember, in order to finish first, first you have to finish, so we’ll just see how it all goes.”

“The biggest problem we've got is up to got nine other TPs, some of which are sailed brilliantly, and our challenge will be trying to stay in front of those. But for me, let’s get there safely. Win, lose or draw, you’ll find us very cheerfully in a pub somewhere having a rum.”

Paul’s wife, Vicky, has been a tremendous supporter of the whole thing. So it was interesting to see if she allowed the budget to extend to lots of sticky back this year? “Yes, so after we tore our main into pieces last year, our annual budget negotiated all sorts of things, and my poor wife accepted our brand new ocean mainsail.”

“Vicky is fantastic, but I do feel for her. I promised her faithfully last year that I would not go this year, then of course, much to my surprise as anyone else, we sailed well enough, and we we're lucky enough to win it. You can’t not sail well and win it, by the way. You’ve got to sail pretty well, so we're proud of that”, said Clitheroe.

“Anyway, you need a bit of luck as well, and so poor old Vicky said, ‘Oh my goodness! You are going to have to defend this aren't you? And didn't you tear your main to pieces?’ I merely said, ‘Ah don't worry darling, these sort of black mains, they are quite inexpensive. We didn't quite discuss how much I don’t think. It didn't get down to the detail. Honestly though, she thinks the whole campaign is great.”

Getting down to that detail then, one wondered that if last year cost him a trip to the canals of France, what was this year’s race going to cost? “That is a really, really nasty point. We actually haven't got down to discussing that yet because, yes not only is it Vicky freeing me to ruin the family's Christmas again by going to Hobart, I suspect there's also going to be some compensation required equivalent to the price of the new mainsail. So I'd say we could be going somewhere very nice.”

Well Paul, if it is to be the Alps, then may the snow be fresh, light and oh so powdery. If it is back to France, then perhaps the pâté and Champagne will reinvigorate your palate after all that ‘freeze-dried cardboard’ you hate so much aboard this current version of, Balance.

Current routing, which has to be viewed in light of the changes that can and do occur on the East coast of Australia, especially at this time of year, has the TPs arriving a bit under two days after the start. Of course that is very handy for the passage up the River Derwent. The supermaxis will take one and a half (NB - this is under record pace), with the maxis a bit under two days, and then the back of the fleet at the four day mark. We’ll have more on all of this as the super all-important weather window first gets a frame, then panes of glass, well before any paint gets applied, let alone before any internal dressings, as the next few days unfold.

Ultimately then if you are looking for smiles yourself, then do keep a weather eye here on Sail-World.com for all the latest intel on the great, inspiring, captivating and very historic, blue water classic… The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.